Absinthe
by Soryo
Summary: Absinthe can always lower your inhibitions. That holds true for two Turks. Contains lemon. RenoxRude
1. Chapter 1

Well, this would be my first submission here. I've noticed that there's not nearly enough RenoxRude stories out there, and decided to write one myself. Hope you enjoy it.

**Warning:** This story will eventually contain a lemon or two. It's about two men together. Don't like that, don't read.

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A dim lighting that spilled sluggishly from the rows of amber tinted bulbs that dangled on single cords, bald and sparse from the ceiling provided the lighting for the tucked away bar in which they hung. One bulb seemed to be on its last legs, the filament inside its dusty glass cage guttering like a candle in an easy breeze, casting flickering shadows on the contents and occupants of the room. Small, round oak tables stood on single stalky legs anchored to the plain black tiled floor. Two or three spindly chairs were placed here and there about these wooden islands, an occasional shadowy occupant taking up residence on their seats.

One side of the shadowy room was taken up completely by a long bar that, despite the seemingly uncared for state of the quiet pub, was wiped to a lustrous shine. Behind the immaculately clean bar, rows upon rows of bottles lined the shelves. A myriad of liquors, ranging from the cheap brands housed in bulk-bought brown bottles, to the grossly expensive alcohols kept in their emerald, sapphire, ruby and tanzanite glass prisons.

At this strange out-of-the-way bar, two occupants of the room seemed to stand out in stark comparison to their gloomy surroundings. Seated side-by-side at the bar, balanced on the spindly barstools. Yet they contrasted one another as much as they did the pub.

One was more lean than the other; could almost be described as slender, though not quite. Pale skin that contained the healthy glow of one who was naturally such a light pigment and was not such a colour for lack of sunlight or sickness covered his body. Slim, though well-toned muscles were housed beneath his monochromatic clothing. Plain black pants clung low to his hips, covered by an untucked white shirt, with three of its topmost buttons open to reveal a triangle of smooth skin and defined collarbone. Over the white shirt was tugged on a simple black jacket, left casually open.

The bones of his face were well defined and high, almost a little sharp. High on his cheeks, one on either side beneath his azure eyes, were two little markings. Twin slashes of red. They matched, in colour, his hair perfectly. A spiky mess of scarlet that framed his ivory features, tapering down to the nape of his neck where it was permitted to grow long into a waist length ponytail. Lastly, a pair of goggles was perched on his forehead, messy bangs falling down over it here and there. His feet hooked absently into the bottom rungs of the stool, forearms resting casually against the cool bar top.

Seated on the rickety barstool beside the nonchalant redhead, perched a much larger figure. Broad shoulders were held back in perfect posture, head held high, straight-backed. Well-toned muscles filled out his suit, but not in a manner that would make this still and silent figure seem bulky. Quite to the contrary, he held himself with an easy poise that could almost be described as a quiet, understated grace born of the trained control he held over his body. Both hands were contained within supple black leather gloves, cracked with an indefinite number of miniscule lines over the palms and between the digits from continuous use.

Every aspect of his person seemed to be calculated and controlled to the last minute detail. Each button on his inner white shirt closed, the same goes for the black jacket, and finally a tie done just so about his neck. Contrary to the alabaster skinned man to his left, he was of a somewhat darker hue, olive perhaps. The spluttering glow cast from the dying bulb overhead shone faintly on his bald head, causing the multitude of silver earrings looped through his ears to shine periodically. The right ear housed simply two small silver hoops in its earlobe, though his left ear wasn't so fortunate. Not only were the loops found in his earlobe, but all up the side through the cartilage as well with the six silver earrings. Few people knew his true eye colour, for a pair of delicate designer frames with black tinted lenses covered his eyes almost constantly.

Between the men, sat a crystal clear bottle, the liquid within a vibrant chartreuse. The cork lay beside the bottle, its wet end smelling strongly of the powerful liquid it had previously been in contact with. Each man held a small shot glass between their index, middle finger and thumb. Reno's had been emptied and refilled somewhere in the vicinity of two times, while the tiny glass Rude cradled had hardly been touched.

Bringing the glass upwards to his thin, though curvy lips, Reno gave a simple little flick of his wrist, the emerald liquid tumbling into his mouth, and then down his throat. The instant icy taste was swiftly followed by a sudden fiery burning that created a warm path down into his stomach, tugging a grin onto the slim Turk's lips. "Weren't we supposed to be celebrating, not cooped up in some run down bar?" He chimed out absently, cerulean eyes flicking over towards Rude as one of his thin brows quirked upwards to reiterate his question.

In response, Rude lifted his head a degree or two, turning it to one side so that he could better see his companion, flicking a severe brow upwards, unconsciously mimicking Reno's expression, minus the grin of course. "You were the one to suggest this place, or have you forgotten already?" His deep, smooth voice rolled over the words, turning Reno's expression to one of momentary thoughtfulness.

"Yeah, but that's because this is the only place in Midgar that actually has absinth, yo. I hardly thought it'd be this dead in here." Sighing in annoyance, though with a hint of that former grin still toying about the edge of his lips, he reached again for the bottle. A thin stream of emerald green liquid refilled his glass; however his movements didn't yet show any signs of one becoming a little tipsy, even after three shots of the powerful alcohol between them. "Aw, Rude, come on. At least make this interesting and get sloshed with me."

Rude rolled his eyes, the reaction going unseen through his sunglasses, though Reno seemed to sense it nonetheless and that mischievous grin once more slid onto his lips. There'd be no stopping him now. Figuring it would just be for the best to do as the younger man proposed, rather than get into an argument in public, Rude turned his gaze down to the shot glass still held in his fingers. It just took a little nudging from Reno to settle his decision. That nudge being verbal, in the form of a murmured "I dare ya." From the slim Turk. Rude tipped back his glass, the absinth burning a trail down into his stomach, where it settled with a pleasing warmth.

Rude wasn't particularly fond of getting drunk, as it typically took away from physical awareness, and lowered the senses. Though things always proved interesting when it came to pass with Reno. The last such occasion creating the private joke between them, where either one had to merely mutter the word 'discreet' and Reno would burst out laughing, Rude actually gaining a thin smile.

Reno's chuckled to himself while pouring Rude another glass, briefly entertaining some of the thoughts that had been dancing through his mind for some time now. Perhaps if he got the larger Turk drunk enough… But no, that'd hardly be his style, now would it? Naw, out in the open and not giving a shit what the world thought, a grin on his face was more like Reno. Yet he had been having a bit of a difficult time wondering what to do concerning these new thoughts concerning his partner. They certainly weren't pure and innocent little dreams he woke in a sweat from. Most were filled with lips on lips, tongues intermingling, olive skin pressed to ivory, ragged breaths and shuddering moans.

Blinking his sapphire eyes, having hardly realized that his mind had begun to wander so quickly, Reno shifted a little on his barstool, turning his thoughts swiftly to the most unappealing thing he could imagine. Garbage, digging latrines, Rude's cooking. Definitely Rude's cooking. Glancing up at the taller man slyly through his long, dark lashes, it was rather difficult to tell if the other Turk had noticed the glazed expression that had befallen his features for quite a long moment. Deciding to try and turn his mind to something completely unrelated to the man beside him, Reno absently tossed back another shot of absinth.

Time passed in relative silence for a short time, but it was unlike the young Turk to keep his mouth shut for longer than a few minutes. As such, it wasn't long before Reno was once more chatting amiably away, with Rude tossing in the occasional comment in his black velvet voice. Reno talked more than enough for the both of them, laughing and grinning like and idiot all the while. Five shots later, for the pair of them, both men were quite tipsy, though quite skilled at hiding it. Reno trailed a thin fingertip pensively around the rim of the absinth bottle.

Lifting his hand, a droplet of vibrant emerald liquid clung to his pale skin. Noticing this with an amused lilt to his grin, his inebriated mind sought to amuse itself. Bringing the hand up to his mouth, Reno's slim lips parted slowly, allowing his tongue to slide past. With an almost agonizing slowness, he licked the absinth from his fingertip, running a warm tongue along his lips afterward. All the while his azure eyes had been trained on Rude through the thick barrier of his dark lashes, searching quietly for any reaction from the larger man. To Reno's disappointment, there didn't seem to be any, at least not that he could notice. The rational part of his mind gave a little 'I told you so', which he pointedly ignored.

Resisting the urge to sigh in agitation, Reno simply turned on his barstool and leaned towards the olive skinned man, a brow quirking upwards. "Those glasses are fuckin' annoying, you know. What colour are your eyes anyway?" When under the influence of alcohol, people typically lose many of their inhibitions, as well as their sense of personal space. Reno didn't really have much of the latter in the first place, and as such he was leaning very close to his partner. One of his arms rested casually on the smooth bar top, his face but inches from Rude's.

Rude's expression was somewhat difficult to read, his muscles somewhat tensed as he slowly turned to face the red head more fully. Whatever thoughts had been scrabbling through his mind were hidden from Reno, and yet Rude made no move to stop the younger man as he reached up, slender fingers slowly grasping the delicate frames and sliding them off to be placed absently on the bar top. Oddly enough, the darker skinned man's muscles seemed to relax faintly when Reno's fingers grazed his temples.

So close to the bald mans impassive visage, Reno's azure scanned with keen interest along the strip of skin that he had so rarely seen, then began to search Rude's mahogany eyes. They both sat quite still and silent for a long series of moments until Reno's lips split into one of his characteristic I'm-a-sexy-bastard-and-you-love-it type grins. "The glasses were an improvement."

Even the one to ruin a potential moment, Reno thought to himself as he watched Rude give an annoyed grunt and roll his smooth chocolate eyes, beginning to turn his head away. The movement was halted quite suddenly by the touch of a warm palm making contact with his cheek. Gentle pressure was applied, turning Rude's head again until those surprised chestnut orbs stared into a set of sapphire eyes. "I was just kidding, yo." Those words came more softly than expected past Reno's thin lips, which Rude noticed were within inches of his own.

"You're drunk." The older man noted dryly, remaining still and stoic in the face of Reno's cerulean eyes, which had turned fiery, filled with what Rude would have taken as lust, were it anyone but his partner.

In response, the red headed Turk blinked his azure eyes, the sinful emotion within vanishing to be replaced with his usual impish expression. "Damn, Rude, you're clever." Chuckling as he pushed himself to his feet, not even the faintest trace of a stagger to hint at the copious amount of alcohol he had consumed that evening. "This place is about as much fun as eating your cooking. Let's go somewhere else?"

Flicking a brow upwards in casual question, he silently asked Rude's opinion of a change of location. He answer he received was completely unexpected, and threw the young man a little off centre. "Your place then?" This returned question heaved up a million thoughts in Reno's mind, all imploring to be heeded first. Part of him was wondering if he should be reading into this, and another part proclaiming the opposite. There was also the matter of if he should agree.

If Rude returned to his house, there was the chance that he'd go and let his hormones get the better of him, probably making a muddle of everything. Lastly, there was the part of his mind that was steadily scheming different ways to get Rude out of his clothes and into his bed. But then again, that part of his mind was always doing that. "Uh, sure." Was his best reply, making his ways towards the door.

Grasping the frigidly cold handle, Reno tugged open the door, velvety starlight pouring into the dingy bar. The flaming haired Turk's skin turned a softly glowing alabaster in such natural light. Stepping out into the chilly night air, a welcome change from the stale scent of beer and smoke that clogged the bar, Reno glanced momentarily over his shoulder.

Rude followed along behind, the two wandering off down the street, Reno resuming his habit of talking enough for the both of them, with Rude occasionally tossing in a few comments.


	2. Chapter 2

A rattling of keys was accompanied by the systematic click of a lock releasing. Swinging open on silent hinges, the metal moorings strained an instant as Reno tore through into his apartment, the brushed metal knob making sharp contact with the wall. There was no real emotional or physical cause for him to enter this way, more an action born of habit and his typical crass nature. Breezing through the open door, still nattering on about something or other, the sudden shift from the harsh artificial lights embedded into the hall ceiling, to the pale, watery moonlight that streamed in through the windows was a welcome relief on both Turk's eyes.

Rude stepped through the wide-flung doorway, accustomed to Reno's… flamboyancy by now. Past the tinted barrier of his sunglasses, his almond shaped eyes widened in mild surprise. The sparse apartment he now found himself within was certainly not what he had been expecting. Without looking or paying it much mind, Rude reached behind him and nudged the door shut, much more quietly than it had been opened.

Peering about, while at the same time attempting to be more inconspicuous about it, Rude's head gave a faint tilt to one side as he contemplated this unusual space. The apartment was the strangest mix of unlived in, sterile space and a lived in home. Overall, it was a very good apartment. Spacious, with a living room and kitchen, bedroom and bath. The living room and kitchen competed for space within the one large room, each taking up a side. The main focal point of this apartment, and why it probably took someone with Reno's ample salary to own, was one living room wall. Panels of glass stretched up from the floor to the ceiling, giving a wide view of the city.

There was no lack of furniture, but nor was there anything that added that little 'extra' touch of someone who had picked out each piece themselves, giving Rude the impression that the apartment had come furnished. Plain white walls with black countertops and couches. All very monochromatic, much like how he and Reno dressed. The apartment would have seemed unwelcoming, were it not for the little touches that proclaimed themselves as Reno's handiwork everywhere.

Dirty and clean clothes alike were simply tossed anywhere, giving Rude the impression that the younger Turk simply started to peel off his clothes the moment he wandered into his apartment after a job. Okay, that image wasn't exactly helpful. Little thoughts such as that had been meandering through his mind all evening, though he'd done what he hoped had been a decent job at hiding it. The discovery that he was attracted to Reno had occurred many months before, but it had only been mild then, something he figured would dwindle and die in time. Instead it had simply grown to the point where he often found himself contemplating just how flexible Reno was, or what he tasted like.

To his mingled delight and frustration, Reno was doing a prize job at tormenting him this evening. When the fiery haired man had licked the absinthe from his finger, Rude had had a hard time just keeping from leaning over and taking Reno's hand and licking his finger for him, let alone to keep from staring. Fortunately, he had averted his gaze before Reno had noticed, and now he was back at square one. Shaking his head faintly, as if to clear it of such thoughts, Rude strode into the living room, casually meandering about.

Reno meanwhile had bustled into the kitchen and was currently rooting about in the fridge. The jingle of glass bottles clinking against one another along with Reno's muffled muttering were the only sounds that drifted through the apartment. A short, triumphant little cry of joy flew past the young mans thin lips as he grasped the necks of two bottles and wormed his way back out of the fridge without jostling anything else. "Hey, this alright with you?" He asked, transferring one of the bottles into his left hand, flicking his wrist and casually sending it whirling through the air towards Rude's head.

Turning about at the sound of his partner's voice, Rude lifted a leather-gloved hand, effortlessly catching the bottle. Turning it about so that the label was visible, he gave a faint nod. "Fine." Two bottles fizzed open, their caps being tossed to a countertop and a coffee table at roughly the same time. Both bottles were made of clear glass, the liquid within a satiny vermilion in hue. Rude roamed over to the glass wall, leaning against the back of a long ebony couch.

The high-rise apartment was well enough above the cities glaring fluorescent lights so that they didn't spill their artificial glow into the room. Glancing from the sprawling metropolis upwards, Rude found the night sky a much more welcome view. The clouds had dissipated, leaving those who were high up enough in the city to see without the light pollution, a stunning view. The night sky seemed as dark and deep as a black velvet cloth spread over the heavens, a rich womans jewels scattered to make the stars, and a great pearl to form the centrepiece, the moon.

Raising the bottle to his lips, a tantalizing spicy scent wafting from the unusual liquid within to his nose, Rude paused an instant before the crimson drink brushed his skin. A soft whisper of sound had reached his ears, something he hardly expected to hear in Reno's apartment of all places. Lowering his bottle, the glossy scarlet alcohol within spiked with light from the vibrant moon, his torso twisted about to peer down at the black couch cushions. The sight he was met with was wholly unexpected.

A tiny puffball of fur had two of its miniscule paws up over the edge of the couch, its hind legs scrabbling to aid in its quest to the comfortable warmth of the pillows just out of reach. A little mewling plea for help fluttered out of its mouth, with emerald eyes gazing up at Rude as if he were possibly her savior. The kitten's fuzzy stick of a tail twitched back and forth, another mew of frustration slipping free from its mouth. Won over by the adorable antics of the snow-white kitten, Rude set down his bottle, then leaned down and used one large hand to lift the furry creature.

Completely dwarfed in size by Rude's leather gloved hand, the kitten opened her dazzling lime eyes wide and began the task of exploring this new creature. Ivory fur covered her whole body, except for a little black diamond that streaked lengthways down her forehead, right between those charming eyes. A pink little mouth with all those tiny teeth opened periodically to emit a high-pitched mew, small blush-pink nose sniffing at Rude's gloved hands.

The Turk raised his free hand up to his lips, biting down lightly on the tip of his middle finger and tugging faintly. The glove slid free and was placed alongside his drink. Those freed olive fingers absently scratched the kitten's ears, which seemed to greatly please the white poof of fur in his hand as sure enough, it began purring loud enough to make no mistake it was greatly contented. Her great emerald eyes grew heavy, blinking more slowly each time they closed and reopened, until finally she was sound asleep.

Like all kittens, she was able to remain purring even though now deeply unconscious. The tip of her little tail, which was no longer than Rude's littlest finger, twitched in delight. Her chin rested comfortably on Rude's fingers, while one little hind leg dangled down from the gap between Rude's thumb and the rest of his long digits.

It was then that Rude noticed how quiet the apartment had gone, aside from the rumbling sound emitted by the kitten. Glancing behind him, he was met with Reno's grinning face leaning over the couch. "I didn't know you liked baby animals, Rude." Azure eyes gazed down at the snoozing kitten for a moment until he reached over with his more slender hand and took the purring pile of fluff and set her instead on a couch pillow. She didn't stir from her slumber for a moment, though her purring did eventually fade.

Rude decided to ignore that little comment of Reno's for the time being, as he often did about the fiery haired Turk. While Reno rounded the couch to come and stand beside him, a half drained bottle dangling from his fingertips, Rude leaned down and picked up his own drink again. "I didn't know you did either." His black velvet voice mingled with the last vestiges of the kitten's purrs. Raising the bottle to his lips, he finally took a mouthful of the strangely spicy liquid within.

Reno's slender shoulders gave a graceful rise and fall, looking down at the bottle he held for a moment. "She's just a stray. Some kids were gunna hurt her, so I took her home instead." His sapphire eyes flicked towards his partner, adding a little hurriedly, "Just until I find her a new home."

Rude kept the chuckle that threatened to escape barred behind his full lips, which he kept in their usual straight line. "Of course." Was his only response, before conversation flipped to other topics. It wasn't long before Reno's bottle was empty, and his partners only had a dribble of alcohol left clinging to the bottom. Silence now reined the apartment, and had for some time. Rude stood in front of the window, gazing absently down at the city below. His other glove had been removed and placed precisely beside its mate. Reno still leaned back casually against the couch, so far as the older Turk knew. He hadn't turned about for some time.

This theory was blown to the wind as suddenly Reno was standing beside him; those cerulean almond shaped eyes contemplated the sprawling metropolis below. Watching the young man out of the corner of his eye for a few minutes, Rude turned his gaze away after a time, not wishing to stare for too long. "Rude," Reno's voice came quietly, scarcely breaking the silence. He turned to face his partner, an unusual expression flickering across his sharp features. "Do somethin for me?"

Curious despite this strange request, Rude shifted to face the younger man, nodding his head lightly. "What is it?" Reno's response was simple. "Close your eyes a sec." Finding this a little odd, though saying nothing of the sort, Rude did just as he was asked. It was unclear whether or not his eyes had closed through the dark lenses he wore, though Reno seemed to either take it for granted his request had been adhered to, or he was going to do whatever he had in mind anyway.

Rude waited for what he assumed would most likely be some form of practical joke Reno had in store for him, but it didn't come to pass. What did happen was something far more shocking than anything he could have imagined. Both mahogany eyes flared open behind his dark lenses to see a very close-up view of Reno's face. Most surprising of all, was the warm sensation of soft lips pressed tentatively to his.

The younger man took advantage of Rude's momentary shock to deftly slip his warm tongue between his partner's full lips, sliding it slowly against the others. Through the thick barrier of his dark lashes, a sliver of azure could be seen; his eyes faintly open, though glazed. Just one taste, he told himself adamantly, just once… would never be enough.

After the initial shock had partially worn away, Rude noticed just how incredibly aware he was of every touch, every sensation. Reno's hand on his shoulder, how soft his lips were, the warmth of his tongue. Somehow, the slender Turk managed to lean back after a long moment, his sapphire eyes gazing up into Rude's, mingled with lust and trepidation. Reno's tongue unconsciously ran over his lips, capturing his partner's attention instantly, he still remembered how that felt sliding sinuously in his mouth.

Realization over what this meant surged through the darker mans mind. The wind chime sound of shattering glass breezed through the apartment for a moment as Rude promptly dropped the bottle he held, and instead reached out and pulled Reno to him. One strong arm encircled a slim waist, his hand sliding around the younger Turk's neck and instantly drawing their lips together as if he needed such contact to breathe.

Lust coursed through both men's veins in a sudden hot stream the instant their lips met, Reno's arms coiling up around Rude's neck as they pressed their bodies tightly to one another's, aching to be skin to skin. There were no loving, light caresses or soft words whispered, yet each touch was infinitely more erotic then either had imaged. Both were completely caught up in the moment of realization that they both wanted this, that it didn't have to be just a fantasy anymore.

Reno lifted one of his long legs upwards, curling it snugly about Rude's lean waist and rolling his hips. The older mans reaction to this was a low, almost animalistic groan as he clutched his partner closer. Turning slightly, Rude leaned the fiery haired mans back against the couch, their lips never parting except to take a swift gasp of air here and there. A shuddering moan slipped free from Reno, rolling his hips harder against Rude's as he changed the angle of the kiss.

Rude's arms banded about the younger man, lifting him, pulling him close. His hands slid down Reno's back to settle on his rear and squeezed, grinding their hips together. Reno sucked in a sharp gasp of delight, which only drew his partner in closer, their tongues performing an intricate dance in one another's mouths. Relentless waves of pent up lust made their actions almost frantic, desperate.

A grin flashed over Reno's mouth as he broke the kiss and instead began to devour the delicious skin covering Rude's throat. A drawn out moan was pulled from the darkly handsome mans lips, tilting his head back while his partners lips, tongue and teeth drove him wild. It wasn't a romantic, love-filled affair, but somehow it just seemed perfect at that moment.

It was then that the bullet tore through the glass window and into Rude's side.


End file.
